Minor Fictional Characters in How Few Remain
This article lists the various minor fictional characters who appear in How Few Remain, the opening, stand-alone volume of the Southern Victory series. These characters are identified, but play at best a peripheral role in the series. Most were simply mentioned or had a very brief, unimportant speaking role that did not impact the plot, and never appeared again. Saul Berryman Captain Saul Berryman (b. c. 1855) was the personal adjutant to US General-in-Chief William Rosecrans, stationed at the War Department in Washington DC. He was a bright young man who, although wasn't fluent in speaking German, was none the less competent enough to hold a basic conversation with the German Military Attache, Colonel Alfred von Schlieffen. When the Second Mexican War began in 1881, Confederate colonel William Elliott demanded the surrender of the city. Captain Berryman, who represented Rosecrans was under orders to categorically reject any offers of surrender. After informing the Confederate Colonel he would have to fight for the city, he left for the train station, boarding a train with General Rosecrans, he relocated to Philadelphia. He served Rosecrans faithfully throughout the duration of the war, but by the year's end, the harsh reality of his country's dire situation had taken their toll on him as he was no longer the bright and youthful man he'd been at the war's beginning, but none the less, kept up his polite manners to all visitors. Bill Bill was a middle-aged man living in Rochester, New York. He was good friends with two other men, Jim and Josh. In January 1882, Bill and his two friends ran into Frederick Douglass in a drug store and started persecuting him, blaming all Negroes for the loss of the Second Mexican War. His courage fled him when the drug store owner pointed a gun at him and told him to leave.Ibid., pg. 428-30 Paperback. Buckley Sergeant Buckley was an artillery sergeant in charge of a Gatling gun team during the Second Mexican War. His gun was under over all command of Colonel George Armstrong Custer, and he often acted as senior man of the two gun crews, as well as a liaison between them and the Colonel. He understood the weapons he operated and could pick his ground well, which would later serve him well during a raid he made into the Indian Territory. He continued to serve Custer faithfully for the duration of the war, following him to Utah Territory and later Montana Territory. Although fiercely loyal to Custer, the affection was not reciprocated. Fred Cavanaugh Fred Cavanaugh was a miner and labor organizer in Denver, Colorado. In 1881, he met with Abraham Lincoln to arrange for him to speak his ideas about capital and labour at the Denver Opera house. Fred had a sense of humor and although considered an equal with his friend, Joe McMahan, he usually let Joe to all the talking.Ibid., pg. 16-20 Paperback. Archibald Creel Second Lieutenant Archibald Creel (d. 1881) was a soldier in the US Army when the Second Mexican War began in 1881. Attached to the Army of the Ohio, he took part in the disastrous campaign in Louisville, Kentucky, but never saw the fighting first hand for himself as he was attatched to General Willcox' Staff. When German Military Attache, Alfred von Schlieffen wished to visit the front line in the city, Willcox' adjutant, Captain Oliver Richardson was unable to escort the colonel, so he charged the Second Lieutenant with the job. Once he reached the front line, he was horrified by the horrors of the fierce fighting in the close quarters of the city, but managed to keep his cool none the less. Seeing the stubborn and often dirty fighting defense conducted by the Confederates left him with little love for them. He was constantly worried about the German Colonel's safety, fearing his death would be put on his own head, especially when he heard about the toll CS snipers were taking on high ranking officers. Ironically, as they left the front and arrived at the rear, the Second Lieutenant declared that "They couldn't hit an elephant at this distance," when he became the victim of a long range sniper. Literary comment Creel's last words are the alleged last words of General John Sedgwick in OTL. Eb Eb was a private in the Second Mexican War. Attached to the Army of the Ohio, he was placed on guard duty for Brigadier General Willcox' headquarters. When US reporter Frederick Douglass approached the tent, Eb displayed his distaste for Negroes in general and Douglass in particular. After he refused to grant Douglass admittance to the General, Douglass promptly identified himself and his intention of writing about the army, but also that Eb wouldn't be put in such a favorable light. This prompted Eb to move with hast, fetching the General's aid, Captain Oliver Richardson. After confessing that he had no idea that Douglass was coming, he was forced to set up a tent for the man.Ibid., pg. 155-56 Paperback. Michael Fitzpatrick Michael Fitzpatrick (d. 1881) was executed in San Francisco as a looter, by Colonel Sherman's order, following the British raid on the city.Ibid., p. 342, HC. Katie Fitzgerald Katie Fitzgerald (b. c. 1853) was the widowed proprietor of a café in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was a Catholic, and thus considered a "Gentile" by the Mormons. She had a brief affair with George Custer during the 1881 Mormon uprising that arose from the Second Mexican War, but that ended when Custer's wife Libbie came to Salt Lake City.Ibid., pgs. 318-319. Gentleman Arsonist The Gentleman Arsonist was the sardonic term Samuel Clemens used when referring to the Royal Marine who burned down his house during the Second Mexican War. During the War, the British shelled San Francisco and landed Marines to raid the US Mint. To cover their orderly retreat back to their ships, the Marines indiscriminately set fire to buildings behind them. The Gentleman Arsonist actually set fire to Clemens' neighbor's house but it spread and burnt down most of the block.How Few Remain, pg. 426. Enrique Gutierrez Colonel Enrique Gutierrez was the commanding officer of the Mexican Army garrison in Paso del Norte, Chihuahua. He met with General Stuart on June 14, when the Trans-Mississippi crossed the Rio Grande to take possession of the two erstwhile Mexican provinces. The colonel was a lean, saturnine man who spoke good English. While he hated the sale of his homeland, he preferred the Confederate method of paying then occupying, as opposed to the US method of occupying and then paying left him with little love of Yankees. After lowering his nation's flag for the last time, Colonel Gutierrez watched as the Stars and Bars was raised, and although he saluted it, the sight brought him to tears. Ibid., pg. 61-62 Paperback. Gabriel Hamilton Gabriel Hamilton was a resident of Salt Lake City. His Presbyterian faith caused him to be classified, along with all non-Mormons, as a "Gentile." Harriet Hamilton Harriet Hamilton, daughter of Gabriel and Juliette, died of diphtheria at the age of four, sometime prior to 1881. Her grief-stricken parents were unable to have any more children. Juliette Hamilton Juliette Hamilton was the wife of Gabriel Hamilton of Salt Lake City. Clay Herndon Clay Herndon was a reporter for The San Francisco Morning Call. Editor-in-chief Samuel Clemens sent him to interview the commandant of Alcatraz Island, a facility which left Herndon unimpressed and later proved useless during the Battle of San Francisco. Upon hearing of the US government's playing up of the pathetic "victory" at Pocahontas, Arkansas, Clemens and Herndon had a good laugh at this example of inept desperation and grasping at straws. Jonathan Jackson Jonathan Jackson (b. 1866) was the only son of Confederate General Thomas Jackson and his wife Mary. Jonathan was 15 years old when the Second Mexican War began in 1881, and thus too young to actually fight, a fact that vexed him. He and his elder sister Julia accompanied their father to the field once during the war.Ibid., pg. 115. Despite his youth, Jonathan was astute enough to realize that Wade Hampton III had attempted to recruit Thomas Jackson in an effort to block President James Longstreet's efforts to end slavery in 1882.Ibid., pgs. 583-584. Monte Jesperson Monte "Three-Card" Jesperson was a reporter for the Alta Californian, a Republican newspaper in San Francisco, California. In 1881, Jesperson favorably covered a pronouncement by Mayor Adolph Sutro outlining the steps the city was taking to maintain security during the Second Mexican War. Jesperson was a friend of Samuel Clemens of The San Francisco Morning Call despite the latter's complete and utter disagreement on politics with Jesperson.Ibid., pgs. 187-191. Jim Jim was a middle-aged man living in Rochester, New York. He was good friends with two other men, Bill and Josh. In January of 1882, Jim and his two friends ran into Frederick Douglass in a drug store and started persecuting him, blaming all Negroes for the loss of the recently concluded Second Mexican War. His courage fled him when the drug store owner pointed a gun at him and told him to leave.Ibid., pg. 428-30 Paperback. Josh Josh was a middle-aged man living in Rochester, New York. He was good friends with two other men, Bill and Jim. In January of 1882, Josh and his two friends ran into Frederick Douglass in a drug store and started persecuting him, blaming all Negros for the loss of the war. His courage fled him when the drug store owner pointed a gun at him and told him to leave.Ibid., pg. 428-430, PB. Gustav Kleinvogel Gustav Kleinvogel owned a butcher shop in Philadelphia. It was located near the German consulate, serving as a probably unintentional reminder of Bismarck's observation about laws and sausages.Ibid., p. 114, HC. Kraus Kraus, a German immigrant, was a coachman working for Attorney Robert Todd Lincoln. The lawyer's father, Abraham Lincoln, was a bit dismayed by the way Kraus seemed to fawn over Robert as if the latter were an earl or a duke.Ibid., p. 346, HC. Edgar Leary Edgar Leary was a junior reporter for The San Francisco Morning Call. Joseph Little Joseph Little (c. 1858-1881) was a captain in the US Army from Boston. During the campaign in Louisville, he commanded the six guns of Battery B of the Massachusetts Volunteers Artillery. He had a good relationship with US journalist, Frederick Douglass and treated the man with courtesy and respect. Stationed just outside the city limits of New Albany, his battery opened fired on Louisville in order to provide support for the troops crossing the Ohio. However, his battery also drew return fire from the Confederates, and Captain Little was killed instantly by their first barrage.ibid., pg. 178-181 Paperback. Joe McMahan Joe McMahan was a miner and labor organizer in Denver, Colorado. In 1881, he met with Abraham Lincoln to arrange for him to speak his ideas about capital and labor at the Denver Opera house. A socialist at heart, and a follower of Karl Marx, and thus he was moved by Lincoln's speech. When he asked the former president if he'd ever read Marx' works, Lincoln answered that he had.Ibid., pg. 16-20 Paperback. Meline Monsieur Méline, a dapper little man who looked like a druggist, was France's minister to the Confederate States in 1881.Ibid., pg. 140, HC, pg. 174, MMPB. In the lead up to the Second Mexican War, Méline and his British counterpart assured Confederate President James Longstreet that their respective governments would not support the C.S. against the United States unless the Confederate government agreed to start manumitting its slaves within a year after the end of any hostilities.Ibid., pg. 34, mmp. When the war was underway, Méline personally visited Longstreet again, and secured Longstreet's promise for manumission in exchange for France's entry into war.Ibid., pg. 174-175. Neufeld Sergeant Neufeld, US Army, was an artillery Sergeant in charge of a Gatling gun team during the Second Mexican War. His gun was under over all command of Colonel George Armstrong Custer, and although of equal rank, the commander of the other gun, Sergeant Buckley, organized the both of them. He understood the weapons he operated and performed admirably during Custer's Raid into Indian Territory. He continued to serve Custer for the duration of the war, following him to the Utah Territory, and later, the Montana Territory. Noah Noah (d. 1881) was a volunteer in the US Army from Massachusetts. When the Second Mexican War began, he joined the Battery B of the Massachusetts Volunteers Artillery. During the campaign in Louisville, the battery opened fired on Louisville in order to provide support for the troops crossing the Ohio. However, the battery also drew return fire from the Confederates, and he was mortally wounded. Realizing he had no hope, he asked the nearest person, US journalist Frederick Douglass, to end his life. Although hesitant, Douglass complied with Noah's request. Noah's cousin thanked Douglass for doing the deed. Algernon van Nuys Major Algernon van Nuys (d. 1881) was the regimental commander of the Sixth New York Volunteer Infantry during the Second Mexican War. After US President Blaine rejected the first CS peace offering, US General Willcox launched a flanking maneuver against the defenses of Louisville.Ibid., pg. 260-262 Paperback. Major van Nuys led the 6th New York in that attack and almost succeed in cracking the Confederate lines if not for the sudden counter-attack by Second Lt. Jeb Stuart Jr. After the attack petered out and the lines stabilized, Major van Nuys kept up a steady offensive defense, by leading his regiment on raids against Confederate trenches. Unfortunately this proved his undoing. In retaliation for these raids, the Confederates counter-raided his trench lines, and in the insuring raid, Major van Nuys was shot in the mouth, destroying his lower jaw and killing him. He also made friends with Frederick Douglass, and before his death, treated him like an old comrade. Ibid., pg. 284-286 Paperback. Overall Major Overall was third in command of the Third Virginia, positioned south and west of St. Matthews during the Siege of Louisville. When the Army of the Ohio made its second crossing in an attempt to outflank the Army of Kentucky while it was busy in the city of Louisville, Colonel Tinker's regimental headquarters came under heavy attack. The headquarters was hit by artillery fire and he although he survived the bombardment, he suffered wounds that forced him from the battlefield. With no one else in charge, command of the Third Virginia fell to Second Lieutenant Jeb Stuart Jr., allowing him to save the day. After the fighting petered out, it was later learnt that the major lost his injured leg.Ibid., pg. 269, PB. Shadrach Perkins Shadrach Perkins, a storekeeper from Wickes, served as quartermaster sergeant of the "Unauthorized Regiment" of Montanan volunteers during the Second Mexican War.Ibid., p. 122. Vernon Perkins Vernon Perkins was an accountant in San Francisco. During the British attack on the city in the Second Mexican War, the home of Vernon's sister Alexandra, was burned by the Royal Marines, so she and her husband Samuel Clemens and their children Orion and Ophelia came to live with him. Sam found Vernon an extremely dull, uninteresting man. His wife Lucy, their daughters Mary and Jane, and their dog Rover were, to Clemens' mind, cut from the same cloth. Zeke Preston Zeke Preston (b. c. 1847) was a reporter from New York who traveled to Montana Territory to interview Theodore Roosevelt about the Battle of the Teton River. Roosevelt resisted Preston's attempts to lead him into saying something incendiary about General Custer.Ibid., p. 422-423, HC. Diego Reynoso Diego Reynoso (d. 1881) was executed in San Francisco as a looter, by Colonel Sherman's order, following the British raid on the city.Ibid., p. 342, HC. Oliver Richardson Captain Oliver Richardson (b. 1850s) was General Orlando Willcox' adjutant during the Second Mexican War. Aaron Rothman Aaron Rothman owned a dry goods store in Salt Lake City in 1881. As Jew, Rothman fell into the Mormon definition of "Gentile," which he found hilarious.Ibid, p. 55, HC. Calhoun Ruggles Calhoun Ruggles was a Confederate cavalry commander during the War of Secession. After the war ended, he stayed on in the Confederate Army, fighting against the Comanche Indians in Texas. By 1881, he was a colonel of the Fifth "Camelry". Colonel Ruggles understood his mounts and was able to take his troopers long distances through the otherwise impenetrable desert. After returning to Sonora from his campaign in the New Mexico Territory, General Jeb Stuart found his supply lines under assault from Yankee raiders. At Stuart's order, Ruggles and the Fifth Cavalry successfully hunted the raiders down. The front with the US remained quiet until December 1881, when fighting broke out between the Mexicans and Apache Indians. Once again, Colonel Ruggles was used to scout ahead, to find out the situation. Unfortunately, he arrived too late, and the entire town of Cananea was burnt to the ground. He followed Stuart into the Sierra Madre after the Indians, where the general became a casualty. Salazar Salazar was the alcalde of the Mexican town of Cananea. In 1881, the town transferred ownership from Mexico to the Confederacy. After the Trans-Mississippi Department's successful campaign into the New Mexico Territory, General Jeb Stuart set up his HQ within the town. Señor Salazar was very hospitable to Stuart and his troops but was highly suspicious of the Apache Indians, warning the Stuart that they could prove troublesome, and if they did, it would be impossible for Stuart to dig them out of the Sierra Madre. He reluctantly allowed the Apaches to join in the celebrations for Stuart, but quickly turned against them during an altercation afterwards. When the situation spiraled into warfare, the Apaches burned the town. Salazar survived, and reported this to Stuart, who soon found that digging the Apache out was indeed impossible, just as Salazar predicted. Steinfeldt Lieutenant Colonel Steinfeldt (d. 1881) was second in command of the Third Virginia, positioned south and west of St. Matthews during the Siege of Louisville. When the Army of the Ohio made its second crossing in an attempt to outflank the Army of Kentucky while it was busy in the city of Louisville, Colonel Tinker's regimental headquarters came under heavy attack. The headquarters was hit by artillery fire and Tinker and Steinfeldt were killed.Ibid., pg. 269 Paperback. Stonewall Stonewall was a raccoonSee Inconsistencies in Turtledove's Work#Inconsistencies in Southern Victory owned by U.S. Colonel George Armstrong Custer during the Second Mexican War. Stonewall, named after the nickname of Confederate general-in-chief Thomas Jackson, was a skilled thief who caused no end of trouble for the Colonel's kitchen staff. Second Stuart son Jeb Stuart's fondness for riding off to war had diminished by the time the Second Mexican War began, as Jeb Jr. and Stuart's other son were approaching manhood.Ibid., p. 42, HC. Literary comment After this fleeting reference in chapter 2 to Stuart's having "sons" in the plural, no second son of Stuart is mentioned for the rest of Southern Victory. Sutro Sutro was a dog owned by Samuel Clemens in San Francisco, California in the late 19th century. Clemens named the dog as an insult to San Francisco Mayor Adolf Sutro, whom he thoroughly despised. Later he regretted this, as he decided sharing the name insulted the dog rather than the mayor. Sutro was a friendly dog but was very selfish, wolfing down his food and then stealing from other dogs and cats (such as Virginia the cat) if the opportunity presented itself. This, too, was a trait exhibited by his namesake, according to his master. Sweeney (straw boss) Sweeney was a straw boss in San Francisco. After the British raid on the city, Sweeney's crew uncovered a number of bodies from the rubble.Ibid., p. 340, HC. Teddy Teddy was a War of Secession veteran in Denver. He lost both legs above the knees and by the time of the outbreak of the Second Mexican War had become a drunkard and a beggar to deal with his loss of limb and his pain. When Abraham Lincoln gave him a quarter, Teddy threw it away, refusing charity from a man he hated so much.Ibid., pg. 17-18. Tinker Colonel Tinker (d. 1881) was the commanding officer of the Third Virginia, positioned south and west of St. Matthews during the Siege of Louisville. When the Army of the Ohio made its second crossing in an attempt to outflank the Army of Kentucky while it was busy in the city of Louisville, Colonel Tinker's regiment came under heavy attack. His headquarters was hit by artillery fire and he was killed.Ibid., pg. 269 Paperback. Washington Towler Reverend Washington Towler (b. c. 1818) was a friend of Frederick Douglass from St. Louis. He was a former slave, and spoke in heavy slave dialect. In 1881 he helped escort Douglass to a speaking engagement at the St. Louis Grand Hall.Ibid., pgs. 51-53, HC. Virginia the cat Virginia was the Clemens family cat. Ophelia and Orion liked to tease her by threatening to feed her to Sutro the dog, and often got scratched for their trouble.Ibid., p. 116, HC. Jethro Weathers Jethro Weathers (b. c. 1855) was a Confederate cavalry captain in 1881. He intercepted George Armstrong Custer's unit as they chased Satanta's band of Kiowas. Custer had been prepared to cross over into Confederate territory, but Weathers' arrival ended that plan. Weathers made it abundantly clear that he and his men would defend C.S. territory. The two men traded insults, with Weathers expressing his disgust at the election of "Black Republican" James G. Blaine as President of the United States.Ibid., pgs. 12-14. Charlie Worth Charlie Worth (b. c. 1859) was a reporter who interviewed General George Custer after the Second Mexican War ended. Worth asked Custer leading questions about the Unauthorized Regiment's performance at the Battle of the Teton River, designed to stir Custer's jealousy and make him say something controversial. Worth also suggested that Custer might become President.Ibid., p. 408-411, HC. Yahnozha Yahnozha (d. 1881) was an Apache warrior in Geronimo's forces. He had a sexual encounter with Maria Guerrero in Cananea. She described it as rape, but he insisted it was consensual. The woman's father and brother ambushed Yahnozha and shot him to death, touching off the burning of Cananea.Ibid., pgs. 355, 412, HC. Daniel Younger Daniel Younger (b. c. 1818) was a Protestant clergyman in St. Louis, Missouri. Although he was an educated man of letters, he spoke in the broken-English dialect common among slaves, the class to which he had been born. Younger was one of the hosts of Frederick Douglass when the latter came to the city to give a speech at the Planter's Hotel.Ibid., pgs. 51-53, HC. References Category:Southern Victory Characters Category:Minor Characters